Ross Feller Casey Wins Huge Award for Medical Malpractice Victim who Loses Legs

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A Lehighton woman awarded $23 million in a case involving amputation.

Sharlee Ann Smoyer, a Lehighton woman who lost her legs to infection, was awarded more than $23 million by a Lehigh County jury on Friday.

The amputation occurred as the result of an infection while Smoyer, 55, was under the care of a St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network nurse.

This medical malpractice verdict is one of the largest ever in the county.

Smoyer suffered a bacterial infection after her home-care nurse failed to properly report an infection at her catheter site. The infection, which occurred in 2008, nearly killed her.

The woman had been treated for Crohn's disease and was recovery from intestinal surgery. The infection required her legs to be amputated below the knee. She also lost a finger on her left hand.

The jurors heard seven days of testimony in Judge Carol McGinley's courtroom. At the end of deliberations, St. Luke's Miners Memorial Home Care and a company nurse were found negligent. The $23.12 million award was for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Matt Casey, a founding partner of Ross Feller Casey, LLP in Philadelphia and the lead attorney on the case, stated after the verdict that St. Luke's was not willing to take even the slightest responsibility for the mistakes it made in Smoyer's care. He also said that his client was hopeful that the verdict will bring about changes in the way the facility cares for patients with catheters.

Ross Feller Casey, LLP, has built a solid reputation for its medical malpractice victories. Some cases of note include:

  • $22 million for a child who had a brain injury due to birth injuries.
  • $18.4 million for a young stroke victim.
  • $10 million for a pediatric malpractice case.
  • $10 million for a medical malpractice case resulting in brain injury.

Disclaimer: Ross Feller Casey, LLP provides legal advice only after an attorney-client relationship is formed. Our website is an introduction to the firm and does not create a relationship between our attorneys and clients. An attorney-client relationship is formed only after a written agreement is signed by the client and the firm. Because every case is unique, the description of awards and summary of cases successfully handled are not intended to imply or guarantee that same success in other cases. Ross Feller Casey, LLP represents catastrophically injured persons and their families in injury and wrongful death cases, providing legal representation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.